Take my hand
by KrystalClear
Summary: AERUF romance. PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!! Two new chapters posted, see how Tifa reacted. Intro of what's gonna happen soon. ^^ Starting to have a ClEris feel, although that's not my intention. R+R!!!!!
1. Chapter 1

Rufus Shinra woke up rather suddenly. He called softly to his panther, Dark Nation. It didn't wake up. Rufus rolled about in his huge bed until he found a comforter. He threw it at him, and the panther opened his eyes.  
  
Rufus called to it, and it jumped onto his bed. He sat up, stroking its head. He searched for the clock on his bedside table. It was almost ten o'clock. He rubbed his eyes and slowly got out of the bed.  
  
He was rather surprised to see that no one had tried to wake him up. Usually the secretary, or his father, was up in his face by seven. He slowly stepped into the shower.  
  
By the time he got dressed and sat down in his office to work, it was almost eleven. He looked at the pile of paperwork and sighed. It seemed that it had almost doubled overnight. When he was seventeen he had felt overwhelmed. Three years later he was just feeling tired and frustrated. He stood up to look out the window. Midgar seemed so distant from where he stood. He felt that he was on top of everything, everyone. but also felt that he was away from them, never to experience a normal life. He was feeling this way a lot lately, yearning for something different.  
  
There was a knock on the door. The secretary stepped in, carrying an inch- thick file that was labeled 'urgent'. That was the last straw.  
  
"Get out!!" Rufus shouted, and the frightened secretary ran out. Rufus contemplated for a minute before he headed for the door. He slammed it shut and started out for the stairs.  
  
'I need some air.' Rufus thought. He turned abruptly to the direction of the elevator. He pushed first floor and leaned back. He looked at himself in the mirrors that surrounded him. He was just wearing a white shirt and a pair of black pants. And a blue tie. He felt like choking himself with it.  
  
Ding.. The door opened when he was only on the 52nd floor. He sighed as he was greeted by a surprised redhead. "Rufus? Where're you going?" He stepped in as the rest of the Turks followed. Rufus closed his eyes and didn't answer. The bell rang when he reached first floor. He stepped out and started walking toward the entrance. He had to get out of this suffocating building. just get out of this hell.  
  
WHAM! He slammed into a person carrying a pile of papers that was so high that it had blocked her eyes. Papers flew everywhere and he sat on the floor, dazed. Across from him, but looking just as confused and dizzy, was a girl he hadn't seen before.  
  
"Shit." he murmured and got up. He normally would have helped whoever the person was, but today he was just not in the mood for it.  
  
"Hey!!" The person grabbed his hand and pulled him back as he started walking away. "Where do you think you're going??" She looked as if she fully expected him to help her. "YOU bumped into ME!" Rufus stared at the girl. 'O-kay. What does she think she's doing?'  
  
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Aeris Gainsborough looked up at the ceiling of her room and sighed. It was now three months after her mother died. Ironically, today was exactly three years from her father's death. She was slowly becoming accustomed to the fact that when she came home there wouldn't be anyone to greet her. She was barely eighteen. but now she was forced to live on her own.  
  
She looked down at her torn dress. She made some money selling the flowers that grew in her church. but lately it was becoming more and more dangerous. Today a drunken man had stopped her on her way back home. He had roughly pinned her on the wall and ran his hand through her hair. She only escaped by smashing the basket against his head when he tried to kiss her. He had grabbed at her angrily and the sleeve was ripped in the process.  
  
She sighed. She remembered his touch and shuddered. She now didn't dare to wander in the narrow streets of Slums. it was simply too dangerous. She had to look for a new job. She remembered that Shinra, now that they had set up a brand new office in Junon, was hiring in the main building.  
  
The next morning, she put on a white shirt with blue collars, and a matching skirt. She hoped she looked professional. 'This looks like a school uniform.' she sighed. Nevertheless, she headed for the Shinra building and filled out an application.  
  
The interview was with a fat man who seemed to have lost the will to live. She answered every question politely and after checking her files she was hired.  
  
On her first day of work, she was given a uniform. It was dark blue jacket over a white shirt. Her skirt was dark blue and white too. She looked like everybody there. like nobody. She didn't even have a title for her job. she was one of those lowly employees who did everything that was told.  
  
She delivered letters and files. She stood on one of the greeting desks and checked the incoming people's badges. She again was assigned to deliver huge stacks of paper. Her superiors addressed her like she was a nothing. All over the place people bumped into her. She first tried to befriend others, but her smiles were never returned.  
  
Aeris was beginning to get tired of these people who seemed so heartless. While she was making coffee for her superior, she felt someone grab her waist from behind. She jumped and saw a man in his twenties grinning at her, as people who seemed like his friends laughed from behind. She pushed his hands away from her and got out of the room. She was having such a bad day.  
  
About eleven o'clock, she was told to deliver over twenty thick files. It was so heavy and was over her eyes, but there was no one she could ask for help. She wanted to leave some of the files and come get them later, but where would she put them? She sighed and headed for the elevator.  
  
She was taking her step gingerly, trying hard not to run into someone. when she heard a man walking rapidly towards her and did exactly that.  
  
The huge stack of paper was knocked from her hands and she fell down on the floor. Aeris looked up, but the man was already moving. She felt anger, frustration at these rude people. She grabbed his hand. "Where do you think you're going??" The nerve of some people.! "YOU bumped into ME!" The man with blue eyes just stared at her, like he couldn't believe what she was doing. 


	2. Chapter 2

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The surprise in Rufus' eyes turned into amusement. Everyone was staring at them in silence. She obviously didn't know who he was. The Turks started running towards him but Rufus raised his hand slightly to stop them.  
  
"Yeah... Sorry about that."  
  
Surprise was obvious in her green eyes as she dropped her gaze and started gathering the papers around her. He bent down and started gathering them too. People still stared, and some murmurs could be heard. He rolled his eyes. What was the problem?? He was just doing what he should be doing.  
  
They made a huge stack on the floor. Rufus offered his hand so she could get up. He picked up the files and gave them to her.  
  
She smiled gratefully and took the files. He suddenly felt that the weariness that clogged his chest was gone. He felt refreshed and he inhaled deeply. Then he realized that it was extremely ackward, leaving her while she stood with the huge stacks of papers that obviously blinded her. Feeling everyone's eyes on him now, he sighed and turned to her.  
  
"Here, let me help you." He took the majority of the papers from her.  
  
The girl smiled. "Thanks. so much." "No problem," replied Rufus, as he started back to the elevator. She followed him. He ignored the Turks' staring eyes and got on it.  
  
"Where do you have to take them to?" he asked.  
  
"All the rooms on the 74th floor." she replied.  
  
A long silence followed as the elevator went up. It would take a good ten minutes for them to reach the top. Noticing the pace the elevator was rising, the girl set her stack down. Rufus did the same.  
  
Rufus heard a loud sigh and turned to her. "Is something wrong?"  
  
She just laughed slightly, but she looked sad. "Nothing, it's just the people in this building."  
  
"What's wrong with them?"  
  
"Nothing really. it's just that I think I'm gonna work here for a long time but they are so unfriendly and disrespectful." She smiled sadly. "You're the first person who showed any sign that they are alive and had a heart."  
  
Rufus found himself nodding in agreement. "Yeah. these people sometimes seem like they don't' have a soul or something." He brushed a strand of hair that got into his eyes. "I guess you're new here."  
  
"The very first day," she said laughing. "Ah. and I had such a wonderful time here."  
  
They both chuckled.  
  
"My name's Aeris Gainsborough," she said, smiling and holding out her badge. "What's yours?" Aeris looked up at him. Rufus found himself hesitating to tell her. She didn't know that he was the Vice President. and that's probably why she treated him like a normal person. He didn't want another employee. Besides, it wasn't that important.  
  
"Rufus." he said the first word that came to his mind as he looked at the smiling girl. "Rose..n." He caught himself immediately. "Rufus Rossen," he held out his hand. 'What the hell was that!!' he thought angrily, amazed at his own stupidity. Aeris took his hand.  
  
"Rossen? Nice to meet you, Rufus."  
  
The elevator door opened, and they both picked their stacks of paper up. They went around the floor, stuffing the mailbox with the files. Rufus was getting nervous as he approached his office. Luckily the secretary was busy typing in something in the computer. but if he went too near she was sure to notice him.  
  
"Uh, Aeris? You just give that to the secretary over there. I'll push the button for the elevator and wait."  
  
Even though it sounded lame to his ears, to her it seemed reasonable and she just gave it to the secretary. She came back to the elevator, awed.  
  
"Do you know whose office that is? It's absolutely huge!"  
  
Rufus found himself chuckling, amused. "I think that's the Vice President's."  
  
As they rode back downstairs, Aeris seemed to be thinking. Suddenly she spoke.  
  
"You know, Rufus. Thanks for being so nice back there." she smiled, a hint of pink on her cheeks. "I was having an awful day. sorry I was so blunt."  
  
Rufus grinned. "Hey, that's fine."  
  
He started to say something else but the door opened. It was the first floor. They walked out together. however a redhead, with a smirk on his face, stepped in front of Rufus.  
  
"Sir, may I speak to you for a minute?" He said in an overly professional tone.  
  
"Well, then, bye Rufus!" Aeris said, walking away. She suddenly looked back and flashed him a smile. "See ya!"  
  
With that she disappeared into a room.  
  
Aeris, once she was in her boss's office, stepped into an waiting room and sat down on the couch. A slow smile lit her face as she remembered how. nice he was to her, how gentlemanly he was. 'Well, I guess not everyone in this building's so insensitive." she concluded.  
  
On the other hand, Rufus was being led by Reno, back into the elevator.  
  
"WHAT?" Rufus demanded as the door closed.  
  
Reno's annoying smirk didn't disappear as he slyly asked, "Who's the girl?"  
  
Rufus rolled his eyes. "I don't know, why?"  
  
"Dunno, it seemed like the first time you. acted like that." Rufus wanted to rip that annoying smile off his face. "That girl got some spirit, standing up to you like that." Reno chuckled.  
  
"She doesn't know I'm the VP," Rufus said, looking away.  
  
"What did you tell her your name was?" Reno asked in a doubtful tone. "How can she not know? She does know that this is the SHINRA building, doesn't she?"  
  
"Of course she knows!" Rufus faltered for a moment. "I just told her that my name's Rossen."  
  
"Rossen?" Reno sounded disappointed. "Why didn't you just tell her?"  
  
'I don't know.' Rufus thought, sighing. "Why is that so important?"  
  
He leaned back on the railing as the Turk studied his face.  
  
"You really should get out more. You're starting to look sick."  
  
"Shut up."  
  
Another silence followed. However, Reno brightened up.  
  
"So, you're bringing her to the ball?"  
  
.silence.  
  
"WHAT? What ball???"  
  
". The one that the President's having. to celebrate the Opening of Junon Office. You knew it for like two months now." Reno frowned. For these past months, his friend hadn't been himself.  
  
Rufus put his hand on his forehead, remembering. 'Shit. Is it mandatory?"  
  
"Everyone in Shinra's going, Rufus. And you're the President's Son."  
  
"Who're you guys bringing?"  
  
"We can't have dates. We're the Turks." Reno laughed quietly. "Elena seems happy though, she thinks it's like she's going with Tseng alone."  
  
Rufus chuckled, remembering the girl's giddy attitude whenever she was talking to Tseng. She was always overly hyper when she was around him, then regretted it and hit herself on the head when he left.  
  
"So, you're bringing her to the ball?" Reno again asked.  
  
"I can't. I barely know her." Rufus frowned. Stupid ball. stupid Vice Presidency. This company was like a shackle around his ankle.  
  
Ring. The door opened and they both stepped out. "What's her name?"  
  
"Aeris."  
  
Rufus looked at his friend.  
  
"Reno. I'll see you soon then." Rufus looked tired, even depressed.  
  
"Ok. See ya."  
  
Rufus stepped into his office. Reno stood there, watching, worried.  
  
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Rufus started on his paperwork. He just threw away the ones that didn't require his signature. After doing that, his work was considerably reduced.  
  
He kept at it until he realized that it was late. It was almost midnight.  
  
He stopped. He sighed. He realized he hadn't eaten anything the whole day. He kept staring at the outside view, and back at his computer screen.  
  
Aeris. that was her name. 'I guess I WAS nice to her,' thought Rufus. He felt a new feeling creeping up his chest as he thought how her cheeks turned pink as she thanked him on the elevator.  
  
He suddenly sat upright. He typed some letters into his computer, and it opened him the Shinra database.  
  
He typed in 'Aeris Gainsborough'.  
  
A picture appeared, along with some information of her. He stared at the picture. The picture showed a beautiful girl smiling. But the picture didn't do her justice. 'She's much prettier than that.' Rufus started to think, but stopped abruptly. He kept glancing at the information on the screen. She was eighteen, five feet four. and he stopped when he saw the status of her parents.  
  
They were both labeled as 'deceased'.  
  
"She's an orphan?" Rufus said aloud. No wonder she's working here when she's so young! When did they die? She must feel lonely. He felt sorry for her.  
  
He turned the computer off. He slowly put on his coat and headed to his room. 


	3. Chapter 3

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He woke up early next morning. He headed toward the Turks' office. He was greeted by surprised, but delighted Turks.  
  
"Hey, you're up early!" Reno grinned as Tseng offered a "How are you, sir." Elena grinned as she brought out some toast and tea. Even Rude looked glad, although he kept his usual silence.  
  
Rufus started munching on the toast immediately, as realization set in that he was starving.  
  
"Reno. when was the ball again?"  
  
"Sunday of next week," answered Reno. "Why, you know who you're gonna bring?"  
  
"Would you let it go. I told you, I barely met her!"  
  
"Yeah, but you seemed really interested in her," Elena chimed in. "Heck, you even carried her papers for her." Elena sighed. "That's SO sweet."  
  
Rufus rolled his eyes. Sometimes he couldn't believe that she was supposed to be a Turk.  
  
Aeris arrived in the building bright and early. She had decided that she would give her job another chance. Heck, if she was gonna stay there for a long time, then she might just try to enjoy it.  
  
Although the result was similar, this time she actually had some conversation with few people. She was busy and moved around all over the place until.  
  
She spotted him.  
  
Rufus had purposely come down to the first floor. He got off the elevator on the second floor and walked down the first floor, so that it would seem like he worked not far away.  
  
It was twelve, almost lunch. He walked down the huge stairway and waved to her.  
  
Aeris smiled and walked to him.  
  
"Hey. What're you doing here?" Aeris asked. Yesterday about this time he had come down here too. did he get off at noon or something?  
  
"It's lunch," Rufus grinned. "Aren't you gonna eat anything?"  
  
"Oh yeah. well yesterday I forgot about it. Today I'm gonna take advantage of the cafeteria." Aeris smiled. "Wanna go?"  
  
Rufus hesitated. He was planning to take her to a restaurant or something. But, it would seem weird if he didn't eat in the cafeteria, like everyone did.  
  
"Sure."  
  
They walked together toward the cafeteria.  
  
After they grabbed something to eat, they sat down on one of the tables. The cafeteria was a sophisticated place. It was shaped somewhat like a restaurant, with tables for two and fours neatly arranged.  
  
Aeris tried to strike a conversation. "So, you worked here for a long time?"  
  
"Yeah. three years." Rufus smiled. Hey, it was true, wasn't it?  
  
"Three years? So, what, you started when you were."  
  
"Seventeen."  
  
"So now you're twenty?"  
  
"That's right." Rufus grinned. "How old are YOU?"  
  
"Well, I'm eighteen." Aeris smiled. Rufus, too, grinned as he remembered that he knew the answer.  
  
"So what did you start out as?"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"You know, when you first joined Shinra."  
  
This conversation was getting kind of difficult. "I. something like what you're doing. I sorted mails and stuff."  
  
"What do you do now?"  
  
"Um. Nothing really. Instead of delivering papers now I read and sign them all day."  
  
Aeris giggled.  
  
"So why did you join Shinra?" Rufus asked. Yes, she was an orphan. but she obviously hated it here. why didn't she get another job?  
  
Aeris looked uncomfortable. "You know, I was a flower girl before this. I used to walk around the Slums selling flowers that grew in my garden." She smiled as she remembered. "But it kinda started to get. you know, when a girl's walking through the streets alone at night, she makes herself an open target to. stuff." She didn't finish her sentence but Rufus understood.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Besides I think I'm getting the hang of this place. It's not that bad, once you just settle in."  
  
"Hm."  
  
They kept talking throughout lunch, Rufus barely touching his food. Rufus was enjoying this girl's company. As she talked about her flowers and how they grew in her church, she looked quite different from other girls. Her sparkling green eyes met his whenever he spoke. Her eyes were breathtaking. And her laughter was really pleasing to hear.  
  
They finally left the table as the clock struck one. As they walked out of the cafeteria, Rufus found himself wanting to linger.  
  
"Since you love flowers so much, I guess you like going to places like mountains?" Rufus blurted out.  
  
"Yeah. or I think I would. I haven't been to one." Aeris laughed.  
  
"Yeah. well. I know one not far away from here. if you like I can take you there."  
  
Aeris' eyes brightened. "REALLY! I would like that so much. Are you sure it's not gonna be much trouble to you though?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm sure." Rufus grinned. "We get off at twelve on Saturdays. Well, then I'll just meet you here. And you might wanna bring some clothes you can move around comfortable in."  
  
"Thanks Rufus!" Aeris was beaming. She suddenly clasped his hands. "Thank you so much. for being so kind."  
  
'It's nothing.' Rufus thought. "Don't worry about it. I'll see you then."  
  
He headed upstairs, and she headed to her boss' office.  
  
Aeris resisted the urge to look back. But she was so happy! He was such a nice person. She was beginning to be glad that she bumped into him. She giggled as she remembered.  
  
Rufus walked to the elevator on the second floor. He sighed as he remembered how delighted she was at such a simple favor. He stepped on the elevator, recalling the feel of her hands when she suddenly grabbed his.  
  
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	4. Chapter 4

Before they knew it, Saturday came. Rufus had checked the weather report: everything was fine. Rufus went downstairs, to see Aeris waiting for him.  
  
She had already changed into "some clothes she could move around in." She wore a pair of jeans and a green sleeveless top, and over it she wore a little yellow vest. She had been anticipating this trip for the past two days. He himself was wearing a sky-blue shirt, with a pair of khaki pants.  
  
Rufus saw Aeris and smiled: well, she looked ready. He went over to her and offered his arm to her. Aeris smiled and took it.  
  
They walked toward the elevator, and pressed one floor down. It was the indoor parking lot.  
  
They walked to Rufus' car. Aeris gasped.  
  
"THAT'S your car???" Aeris ran to it and examined it. It was a black sports car, not that expensive, but very exravagant in. normal standard. nevertheless. Rufus swallowed, trying to come up with an excuse. He had taken the precaution of taking his car and parking it where the employees parked. But he wasn't expecting this. However Aeris just jumped over the door and sat herself down on the front seat, giggling.  
  
Rufus checked his trunk. A huge pack with food, some cooking utensils, a lantern just in case in got dark, and a tent for emergencies. A coat. That was enough: they were planning to be back by ten anyways.  
  
Rufus opened his side of the door and set himself down. He smiled at Aeris.  
  
"You ready to go?"  
  
Aeris nodded and he stepped on the gas. There was scarcely anyone in the parking lot since all the employees had left about thirty minutes ago. Aeris laughed as they tore out of the building.  
  
Midgar was a place where there was no middle class. You were either really poor, or really rich. Sadly most people fit into the former category: say hello to cheap trains. Highways were really uncommon. But, since it was the Shinra building where the richest lived and worked, there was a small road for cars that stretched for about sixty miles.  
  
As they got on the road, Rufus inhaled a big breath. Reno's words came into mind: "You really should get out more. You're starting to look sick." Well, maybe that was right. After all, he NEVER left the Shinra building, since he LIVED there. But the air brushing against his face and the flowing of his hair were starting to feel very good.  
  
Aeris was staring out at the road, enjoying the feel of her hair as the wind combed it back. She was rarely on car rides, and it had actually surprised her when he told her he had a car. and apparently, a good one.  
  
She turned to Rufus, for no particular reason.  
  
His shirt collar was unbuttoned, and the neat professional look that always followed him was gone. His hair was ruffled and kept brushing against his face due to the wind. He looked suddenly very different from the Rufus she knew from the building.  
  
Blue eyes, even bluer than the skies towering over them. She stared at those sapphires for god knows how long, until Rufus turned to her with a questioning look.  
  
Aeris was inclined to respond. "Uh.. thanks for taking me out Rufus. It's been forever since I did anything."  
  
'Same here.' Rufus thought.  
  
The sun was beginning to get brighter, as it was nearly one thirty. Rufus fumbled in the little compartment drawer and got out a pair of sunglasses. He put them on.  
  
Aeris giggled. He reminded her of a movie star, riding in sports cars with sunglasses.  
  
"Hm?" Rufus asked.  
  
"Nothing," Aeris said. "You just look. . . cute with that glasses."  
  
Rufus grinned at her.  
  
  
  
Not long after, they arrived in the mountain. It apparently had a trail, and because it was so undisturbed the wildlife was wonderful. There WAS a fee though, and Rufus paid for them both. He carried the huge pack over his back.  
  
"Come on, let's go." Aeris followed.  
  
They started out slowly, taking a look at the trail map. But it was an easy trot: it should take not more than six hours to come back.  
  
Rufus stuffed the map in his pocket. Aeris had both arms wide open. She seemed to be feeling the wind. Aeris caught him looking and smiled.  
  
They started talking about inane things. Between Aeris' giggles and Rufus' few chuckles, they reached the top before they knew it. Aeris' cheeks were flushed and Rufus had some color back into his too.  
  
It was almost three thirty, and they were beginning to be hungry.  
  
Rufus looked for a good spot to cook. Not far away, he saw a place where a bunches of short trees stood, blocking the wind. He motioned Aeris to come there. He took out the few things for cooking he brought. He made a fire, and put some rice into a pot with some water. He just left it there on the fire. Aeris was busy with some wild patches of flowers. They were rare in Midgar. A slow smile spread on her cheeks as she gathered little bunches and made them into a bouquet. She saw Rufus, busy making dinner. She went over to him and presented the little gift. Rufus laughed. "Shouldn't I be giving this to you?"  
  
After they finished eating and started cleaning up, they felt the clouds hovering over their heads. That was odd. When they started there was not a dot on the sky. However, the ominous clouds kept gathering. Before they were fully packed, huge drops of rain began to fall.  
  
Rufus couldn't believe it: the weather report was wrong??? DAMN IT! How were they supposed to finish their hike now? It seemed impossible as the clouds began to cover the sky entirely. The rain slowly but surely got stronger, and Aeris stood below a little tree, squatting, to avoid the rain. Aeris motioned him to come near her.  
  
Rufus looked frustrated. "But that weather report said. . . WHAT THE HELL!!" He quickly turned to Aeris. "I'm sorry, Aeris," Rufus said, apparently sorry that the little outing has turned out to be a disaster.  
  
"What do we do?" Aeris asked. It was not an option to try to go down the mountain now. That would be ludicrous, seeing how dangerous a mountain can be in a rain.  
  
Rufus sighed. "Well, I brought a tent. It's small, but I'll set it up so we can wait there in the rain." He looked around. "This looks good enough, the rain's kinda blocked by this shrubs and stuff."  
  
He opened the pack and got out a little package. He assembled it under the protection of the little tree. Aeris tried to help. Few minutes later a tent was assembled. Rufus got some huge rocks to keep the tiny tent in its place. He sighed once more.  
  
"I know it's not that comfortable in there but we should be better off now. The rain doesn't seem like it's gonna stop anytime soon."  
  
"Thanks," Aeris said, as she carefully stepped into the tent. Rufus followed soon after, and zipped the entrance. The wind was blocked considerably. But it was still freezing. He remembered he had a little lantern and lighted it. He put it in the middle of the tent and watched it glowing. He noticed Aeris was shivering and took out the coat from the bag. He wrapped it around her.  
  
"No, it's ok," Aeris protested. "Aren't YOU cold too?"  
  
Rufus, in response, put the lantern closer to her.  
  
Aeris rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. "Well, might as well make the best of this. . . Looks like we're gonna be stuck here for some time."  
  
Author's note : I just noticed a huge flaw in my story. THERE IS NO MOUNTAIN IN MIDGAR. especially above the plates. is there? NO!!!! o_O Well this IS fanfic, so I'm gonna keep at it. This chapter seems pointless but it sets the background for what's gonna happen later. Don't give up on me just yet! Oh, and Please Review! 


	5. Chapter 5

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Rufus spoke first.  
  
"Aeris, I'm sorry. I had no idea it was gonna rain. . . you must be freezing."  
  
"Don't be sorry, Rufus!" said Aeris. "Actually I'm kinda glad that we can stay here longer."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Rufus, how many times have you seen and felt real rain?" Aeris suddenly laughed, stopping herself. "Well, I guess you have. . . but I haven't. I lived in the slums my entire life and this. . . place is so wonderful." Aeris smiled. "Once again, thanks for bringing me out here."  
  
Rufus smiled in return. But in his mind there was a new thought brewing. She was so different from everyone. . . She didn't take anything for granted. Rufus found himself staring at her. By making herself be grateful to everything around her, she was also free when she wanted to be.  
  
Aeris now sat rather away from Rufus now, trying to nestle into the huge coat. She lightly leaned against the fabric of the tent.  
  
"And I'm warm too, so don't worry about me. You should really worry about yourself, you're only wearing a shirt!" Her brows furrowed as she leaned forward. . .  
  
'WHAT IS SHE DOING?!!!' Rufus' head screamed as the brunette leaned closer. He was frozen, he couldn't move, could hardly breathe. He just sat, staring, his eyes bugging out of its sockets. Her face was mere inches away from his, and tresses of golden-brown hair brushed against his cheek. She slowly put her small hands around Rufus' neck. . .  
  
. . . And she straightened his collar, so that less wind could penetrate through.  
  
"Does that help?" Aeris sighed. "Gee, I hope you don't catch pneumonia or something. The rain doesn't seem like it's gonna stop."  
  
It took a few seconds for Rufus to register that comment through his brain and to realize what had happened during that few seconds.  
  
"Yeah." He choked out.  
  
'What was I thinking!' Rufus thought. He recalled the idea that he didn't dare to articulate even in his own heart. He felt something rise up his throat. With a soft sigh, almost like a groan, he leaned back at the tent too.  
  
Aeris was now tracing the sheer fabric of the tent, feeling the raindrops on her fingertips as they fell on the surface. The cool air surrounding her, when contrasted with the warmth she felt due to the coat, was simply delicious. A subtle darkness was falling, but a golden light of a lamp held it at bay. She took notice of all this, suddenly feeling quiet.  
  
Rufus sat on the other side of the tent, watching her. She had the barest hint of a smile on her lips. How did she do that? It was almost like she never had to experience anything but joy and peace. But yet he knew it wasn't true. She had lost both of her parents. She lived in the slums. People who couldn't hold it anymore - those who had given up hope on themselves and the world - strangled to feed themselves; not to live but just to stop the pain in their stomachs, for it to return a few hours later. Life was a uphill battle for them, one they would eventually abandon.  
  
But. . . how could she, who mingled with them all her life and received her share of the hardship, stay like that? To find beauty in the falling raindrops and blossoming flowers? How could she not only sustain life, but make it the brightest of all, illuminating those who got stuck in the dark. . . including himself?  
  
"Rufus. . . What're you thinking about?" Aeris softly asked, not daring to break the air of gentle peace. The raindrops were falling steadily now, and it was dark outside. Soft chirping of nocturnal birds occasionally caught their ears.  
  
"You. . ." Rufus answered. He felt the familiar warning in his head, the one that always went off when he revealed himself too much to another person. This alarm prevented him from having anyone to see beyond his cool exterior. No one could ever reach down and touch his soul, because he withdrew too quickly.  
  
'What. . ?' Aeris found herself turning bright red. Had she heard correctly? She looked at Rufus. He sat, looking equally as stunned as her. But in the deep sapphire eyes, she caught something different. The orbs of piercing shade of blue were serious, so much that it was almost pained.  
  
"Rufus. . ." she heard herself say. "What's the matter?" She moved closer to him, gently taking his hand into hers.  
  
Rufus swallowed. He wanted to overcome this step . . . that was so high that it was almost like a mountain.  
  
"Aeris, it's true. I WAS thinking about you."  
  
Aeris didn't know how to react. What was she supposed to say? Is this what she thought it was? She felt her earlobes turn pink as she responded.  
  
"Thank you Rufus. . ." She looked into his eyes, and it took all the courage she had inside of her to say these words: "I'm glad that you were."  
  
A long awkward silence followed, and Aeris wished that she had kept her mouth shut. Her heart was beating twice as fast as normal, making it hard to breathe.  
  
Suddenly Rufus grinned, and lifted the hand she was holding. He put it to his lips, kissing it lightly.  
  
"Thank you. . ."  
  
All this was too new for Aeris. She felt an unfamiliar feeling in her chest. She felt her heart grow so warm that it was almost a hard task to keep her breathing steady.  
  
  
  
Author's note: I seriously wanna write more and I know what direction I'm gonna take. . . But this (writing these kinda scenes) is really new for ME too ^_^ !! I would really appreciate it if anyone who has a suggestion and tips to my story and the way I write or anything else to say to leave me a review. People who have reviewed. . . * sob * thanx!! 


	6. Chapter 6

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She almost gasped when he leaned closer, all while holding her hand. Rufus looked like he was in a trance. His eyes were full of something she didn't understand, or was too afraid to.  
  
'Omigod, omigod, he's going to. . . No nononononono!!!' Aeris screamed in her head but through her lips no words came out. Instead she found herself closing her eyes and giving in to the strange feeling in her heart.  
  
Rufus stopped when he was so close that he could feel her breathing on his face. His mind was full of doubt. Should he do it? Would it be too soon? Would she be repulsed and pull away?  
  
He looked at the emerald eyes, half closed, and the pink, coral lips, slightly open. When he was so close to her, sweet scents of wild flowers could be recognized.  
  
His mind forgot all thoughts and he moved in, gently placing his lips on hers. She squeezed his hands as she almost fell, and he gently supported her by putting a hand to her waist.  
  
There was absolute silence in the tent.  
  
The kiss was a hush of eternity, telling the other what was in their innermost hearts. Rufus could hardly believe that this was a kiss, it was so sweet it was surreal. It was the gentlest, and the most tender kiss he ever experienced. Both were completely absorbed in the act, both scarcely daring to breathe. It was a confession and a communion of their souls, making a common vow that they will never betray. It was a spiritual act than a physical one, telling each other what they couldn't express in words.  
  
Rufus and Aeris slowly ended the kiss, both still relishing the warmth and sensation it had brought them. Their eyes were both closed.  
  
Why was he feeling this way toward this girl? She shouldn't be different from anyone else. Being the heir of the world's richest conglomerate, he was surrounded by women who threw themselves at him. This definitely wasn't his first kiss.  
  
However, looking at the girl in front of him, her face rather flushed, reminding so much of a pink rose in the early mornings, he knew the answer.  
  
  
  
Aeris finally opened her eyes after the tingling sensation of her lips finally subsided. She felt her face grow hot and could not believe what happened. She had just kissed him. . . it was her very first kiss. She felt him looking at her intently, and she blushed even hotter. She turned away.  
  
"Aeris." Rufus spoke softly. "Are you all right?"  
  
The corners of Aeris' lips turned slightly. "Yes Rufus."  
  
Rufus suddenly noticed that he was still holding her hand and her waist. He slowly let go.  
  
"Aeris, are you upset about this?" An idea occurred to his head that made him almost freeze. "Aeris, please don't think I have planned on this by bringing you here."  
  
Aeris smiled. "I don't."  
  
She slowly stirred herself and sat beside Rufus. Rufus was surprised when she leaned against him, putting her head against his shoulder. She looked into Rufus' eyes for a brief second before closing her eyes.  
  
Rufus slowly wrapped his hand around Aeris' waist and pulled her close. He buried his face in her hair and closed his eyes. Although Aeris fell asleep that night, Rufus stayed awake till the morning.  
  
  
  
Author's note: The short part about the kiss - certain words were borrowed from Edmond Rostand! 


	7. Chapter 7

It was Monday, and Aeris looked intently at the grand staircase that led to the second floor. She could still see and feel yesterday like it was happening right now, and she blushed at the thought of it. The clock struck twelve and minutes later, Rufus came down the stairs, holding a small bouquet of pink and white roses.  
  
Aeris almost giggled when Rufus solemnly presented the gift to her. She saw that Rufus was stifling a chuckle.  
  
They had talked almost the whole Sunday away and had agreed to see each other. . . although they didn't put it in that term. They just had confirmed their feelings for each other by asking indirect questions.  
  
The night in the tent, although they did nothing but share a kiss, had brought them closer than they ever imagined. Rufus put his arms around Aeris' waist as they walked into the cafeteria.  
  
Rufus' morning was spent with one excited Reno asking him millions of questions. Reno still couldn't believe that his friend had only kissed the beautiful girl, only once. However he had squeezed out of Rufus that he had cared for her greatly, and had convinced him to ask her to the ball.  
  
  
  
They sat down opposite of each other, smiling and staring into each other's eyes. Aeris' fingers were playing with his, and he gently squeezed hers.  
  
"Have you heard of the Junon-Office Celebration Ball?"  
  
"Hmm?" Aeris looked puzzled.  
  
"You know, Shinra's opening another building in Junon. They're celebrating it by hosting a ball for all employees this Sunday."  
  
"ALL Shinra employees? That's like fifty-thousand people!"  
  
"They emptied like three top floors for the ball. It's supposed to be very good. Are you going to go?" Rufus struggled inside to keep his face straight.  
  
"Isn't it mandatory?" Aeris laughed.  
  
"Well. . ." Rufus faltered. Duh, it was mandatory. She will come even if he doesn't ask. Still, he decided to take a risk.  
  
"Great. So I'll pick you up around seven?" Rufus tried to make it seem as if it was obvious that she had said yes. Aeris' expression changed to that of a surprise, then to one of delight.  
  
Although neither had finished their meals, they stood up and walked to the exit. Aeris suddenly stopped and turned to face him.  
  
"Yes." She was smiling.  
  
Rufus grinned and lowered his head and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. It lasted bare seconds, but Aeris turned bloody red. All around them was dead silence and people looked on with shock. Rufus grimaced as the whole atmosphere of the place turned. However Aeris didn't seem to notice. Rufus looked at her fondly and took her hand and got out of the room.  
  
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The rest of the week went by quickly. Rufus could remember nothing but that he had to be downstairs by twelve. Aeris stopped working by eleven thirty and hung around the area until he saw a familiar figure walking down the stairs.  
  
Their attraction to each other was similar to puppy love, pure and innocent and taking only what was offered. Every word was gentle and delicate and thought out many times before it actually left their lips. The days ended with sweet daydreams and they sighed in their sleep.  
  
Perhaps, because they were too happy, that was the reason they failed to acknowledge the real emotions in their hearts.  
  
  
  
Author's note: Can you tell I'm really hurrying this up? The whole fic has gone so long before anything happened. . . right? Well please be patient with me! 


	8. Chapter 8

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It was Friday night, Aeris had gotten her week's pay. Combined with the last week's pay, she had almost 400 gil with her. In her neck was a silver necklace Rufus had given during lunch. It had a small silver heart that had a green gemstone in the middle. The necklace wasn't big, but it definitely had class.  
  
She felt the smooth surface of the heart and recalled Rufus' shy expression when he gave it to her. She smiled and headed for the dress store. She had to look gorgeous for tomorrow.  
  
The dress shop was near the Shinra Building and it was possibly the biggest one in Midgar. All around her clerks were everywhere and there were twinkling lights. She entered the store, and noticing her Shinra uniform, a clerk introduced herself.  
  
"Hello, I take it you work for Shinra?" The clerk smiled. "If so, you must need a dress: the ball tomorrow is supposed to be very fancy."  
  
"Yes," Aeris said, smiling. It was going to be fancy. It was going to be wonderful. Rufus was going to pick her up. He was her date.  
  
The clerk brought Aeris where rows of racks, all consisting of glittering formal dresses, stood. Aeris felt dizzy. How could she narrow this down?  
  
Noticing the expression on Aeris' face, the clerk took charge.  
  
"How much money could you spare?"  
  
"Um. . . what's the minimum price?"  
  
The clerk frowned and said "50 gil."  
  
Aeris' temper suddenly flared. The clerk obviously thought she couldn't afford anything, that she was poor. Well, that might be true but she wasn't about to let that smug look on the clerk stay.  
  
"I think I can spare about 350." The clerk's expression changed and she smiled again.  
  
Almost an hour passed, and about fifty dresses later, Aeris let out a small gasp.  
  
It was a turquoise dress that brought out her eyes. It was slightly low-cut and the centimeter-thick straps crossed on her back. However, it had a sophisticated air. She looked very elegant. The material of the dress was shimmering and the tip of the dress swept the floor slightly. The dress clung to her figure, accenting her small waist and long legs very nicely.  
  
The clerk stood behind her, clapping.  
  
"That looks just absolutely perfect on you, Aeris." The clerk was smiling. It was true. Aeris looked very beautiful and refined.  
  
Aeris could have jumped for joy. This was the perfect dress for the perfect night. The price was expensive - 370 gil - which meant she had to eat string beans for the rest of the week. "Oh well, I'll just stuff myself in the ball," Aeris thought, grinning.  
  
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Rufus arrived exactly on seven o'clock. He was wearing a black tuxedo that made his eyes even more blue. He was sitting on a couch in the living room of Aeris' house. He suddenly got up and knocked on the door of Aeris' room.  
  
"No, don't come in!!" Alarmed and desperate tone of Aeris' voice made him laugh. He was waiting there now for about ten minutes, while Aeris struggled with her appearance.  
  
"Come out, I'm sure you look beautiful as usual." Rufus rolled his eyes, although he, too, had spent the last two hours in front of a mirror.  
  
Another five minutes later, Rufus heard soft footsteps. "Now can I come in?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Rufus got up and opened the door slowly. The room was a chaotic mess, with a huge drawer with shoes upside down. About twenty different colored ribbons were on her bed, and all the clothes from her closet was scattered everywhere. However, Rufus took no notice of anything. His eyes were glued on the angelic figure ahead of him.  
  
"Aeris. . . " he whispered. "You are so. . . " he struggled for words. . . "Lovely. Angelic. Radiant. Heavenly. Gorgeous. You look so beautiful!"  
  
Aeris was wearing the dress she picked out the night before. She had obviously tried to put her hair up - however she evidently failed as she had it down. It wasn't braided as usual but was freely cascading down her back. However some excess hair was tied back with a sky-blue ribbon. She had a pair of silver earings. He noticed it matched the necklace he gave her, which she was wearing.  
  
However, there was something else about her that made her look like an angel from heaven. He couldn't put a finger on it, he just gaped at her. Smiling, Aeris walked up to him and linked her arm with his.  
  
Rufus snapped out of it and smiled. "Shall we go?"  
  
They rode a train. However, neither cared. Aeris was leaning against Rufus and he was running his hand through her hair.  
  
  
  
They got off. They hastily took the elevator to the 80th floor. They were rather late. Aeris remembered the last time they were on this elevator and giggled. Rufus turned her to face him with a mischievous grin lifted her in the air and kissed her. Aeris just giggled and kissed his forehead.  
  
As they got off the elevator, Rufus felt everyone's eyes on them. Luckily, the ball haven't officially begun. Aeris shifted uncomfortably under the stare of over a thousand people.  
  
Rufus' heart dropped when he saw his father walking towards him.  
  
"Well, hello Rufus. I'm surprised you made it to the ball." President Shinra looked at him suspisciously.  
  
Rufus smiled tightly. "Well, yes, thank you sir." 'don't say son don't say son don't say son. . .'  
  
"And who's your beautiful companion?" The president ran his hand on Aeris' arm. Aeris looked utterly shocked and flinched.  
  
Rufus was disgusted and almost turned away, but stopped himself. "Sir, this is Aeris Gainsborough. Now if you'll excuse us. . . "  
  
He led her into a quiet corner. Aeris whispered in a hushed voice.  
  
"Wasn't that THE president Shinra? How do you know him???"  
  
"It's probably that he noticed YOU, Aeris. You're so beautiful."  
  
Aeris giggled and punched his chest. "Stop doing that before I start to believe it."  
  
There was a sudden announcement.  
  
"All members who work through floor one through thirty, assemble in the 78th floor. All workers from thirty-first to sixty-fifth, gather in the 79th floor. The president's speech is about to start. Please comply."  
  
"Aeris, you go on alone. This will take like fifteen minutes. I have to stay here, but come up here when the speech's over, ok?" Rufus looked very uncomfortable.  
  
"You have to stay here? What do you mean?" Aeris was surprised. He must be one of the top executives to be allowed on this floor! Nevertheless she joined a small crowd of people who gathered around the elevator.  
  
  
  
President Shinra had a recorded speech about the Junon Office. However, the speech only reached the 78th and 79th floor. He actually spoke on the 80th floor about some private matter. He knew that he should be listening to it intently but his mind kept drifting away.  
  
The speech ended rather shortly compared to the one downstairs. The music began to flow and Rufus leaned against a wall. He looked at the clock on the wall and saw that he had mere minutes left until Aeris returns.  
  
He smiled as he recalled Aeris. He let out a small sigh and closed his eyes. Suddenly he heard a familiar voice. "Hey there Rufus." Rufus snapped his eyes open to see a blond figure mere inches away from him.  
  
She started to run her fingers through his hair. Rufus grabbed her wrist and pulled it down.  
  
"Get away from me Scarlet," he almost growled. But there was so many people that he couldn't actually shout or make any rash movement.  
  
"I saw that girl," Scarlet said, undaunted. "What are you doing with her? She's just a girl."  
  
Rufus just ignored her and started to walk away. He wanted to be as far from her as possible.  
  
Scarlet didn't give up. This boy was someday the next President Shinra. Scarlet was wearing a bareback strapless dress that was so low-cut that it actually made people uncomfortable. The dress had a huge slit to her hips. She thought that was seductive. To Rufus that was repulsive.  
  
Rufus stepped into the crowd. A lot of girls who wanted to look for rich men were on the 80th floor already. They all took notice of the Vice President. They surrounded him. Rufus was completely disgusted. Bad choice to make, he thought bitterly. They all started talking and making flirtatious remarks. Scarlet stepped into the circle, to Rufus' great dismay.  
  
Everywhere he was surrounded by people. He could not just shove them off and leave, like he felt like. Taking advantage of the situation, Scarlet traced down his chest and his face. Rufus again grabbed her wrist and this time almost flung it forcefully.  
  
Then he noticed the complete silence of the crowd, one thing he was getting used to. He quickly turned around. Not thirty feet away from him was Aeris.  
  
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Aeris had just stepped out of the elevator. She looked eagerly for Rufus. There was just too many people. She stepped into the crowd, and was surprised that they actually parted their ways for her - to see Rufus surrounded by women wearing barely anything.  
  
She gasped, unable to believe what she saw. Rufus' back was turned toward her, so she couldn't be sure. She stepped closer. Her heart dropped to see an attractive blond woman, with her breasts almost bare, running her finger down the man's chest.  
  
'No, it can't be Rufus. Please, God, don't let that be Rufus!!' Aeris felt tears of something like fright choking her chest. The woman now started stroking his face, wearing that seductive smile. Some tears actually escaped her as she whispered his name.  
  
The crowd turned silent as the man put the woman's and aside and turned around. It was indeed Rufus.  
  
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Rufus' head was spinning. 'Oh God,' he thought. "Aeris." He pushed Scarlet's hand from his shoulder and roughly shoved two women who were in his way.  
  
Aeris looked scared and hurt, with tears streaming down her beautiful face. Regret and hopelessness filled his heart.  
  
"Aeris, this isn't what you think."  
  
However, Scarlet was right behind him.  
  
"What're you doing here girlie? Go back to your floor. The Vice President here has a business with me." Scarlet had a smirk of contempt on her face.  
  
Aeris choked. "What? He's not the vice president!" Aeris stepped closer to Rufus. Rufus took her hand into his. "Aeris, this isn't. . ."  
  
Aeris cut him off. She closed her eyes and opened them again. They were now clear.  
  
"Rufus. . . are you really the vice president?"  
  
Rufus would have given up his soul to say no to the answer.  
  
"Aeris. . ." Rufus said desperately. "Please, this isn't what you think. Let me explain."  
  
Aeris looked up in his eyes but she caught the blond woman putting her hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Rufus. . . why?" Aeris' let out a fresh stream of tears. "Why are you doing this to me?" Aeris backed away from him slowly. Rufus ran forward and grabbed her hand.  
  
"Aeris, wait. Please!"  
  
"No."  
  
With that, she started running.  
  
"Aeris, wait!!!"  
  
Rufus could have easily caught up to her but he felt arms of about ten women holding him back. He pushed them all off angrily. Most of them fell on the floor, and looked up at him with frightened eyes.  
  
"Scarlet, you'll pay for this." He whispered to Scarlet and he turned around to see the door of the elevator closing.  
  
Feeling everyone's eyes on him, he found the Turks watching the whole incident. He walked over to them.  
  
"Is there any way we can get downstairs faster than her?"  
  
"I'm afraid not, sir. The elevator is already going down to the first floor and the other one takes some time to come up." Tseng said.  
  
Rufus groaned.  
  
"This is her address," Rufus said, handing them a piece of paper from his pocket. "Find her by tomorrow and bring her back to me. Don't scare her."  
  
Rufus walked out the door. His mind was a chaos.  
  
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	9. Chapter 9

Aeris got off the train and walked into the slums mindlessly. Tears were still streaming down and she barely stifled an urge to cry out loudly.  
  
'Why did he do this to me? Was it all a lie?' All sorts of thoughts burned through her mind. But. . . the kiss had been so real. What he said was so real. His touch, his everything was so sincere.  
  
But. . .  
  
She recalled the seductive smile of the blond woman, facing Rufus. She closed her eyes.  
  
So that's it. He just fooled around with her. He's the heir of the largest company in the world. She works for him. He has countless beautiful women following his feet. He was probably amused at how this naïve girl fell for it so easily.  
  
Aeris felt a new wave of sorrow, almost to overwhelm her. She remembered the solemn kiss in the tent. How she had convinced that it was all true she had no clue. She thought of Rufus and how he picked her up in the elevator and kissed her.  
  
"Rufus. . ." She said out loud. She was no longer looking where she was going.  
  
She fell down on the ground when she bumped into something. She looked up and to her horror there were three men, staring at her with growing interest.  
  
The men were all a little drunk. They had come down to this part of the slums, searching for a prey. They were hoping for some guy with his paycheck, but what they ran into was even better. They had never seen anyone remotely as beautiful as her. She had an angelic face, and her figure was breathtaking. They all noticed how small her waist was, how slender her legs were, and just how perfect she was in every respect.  
  
They quickly surrounded her and the one who seemed like the leader grabbed Aeris' hand and pulled her up. He stared at her up and down with a growing smile on his face.  
  
He put his hand up to her face and stroked it. "Hey, how would you like to come with us for a while?" It was not a question.  
  
Aeris' mind spun, and she turned around to see the remaining members surrounding her. The road was narrow and she realized that she was in a very small alley.  
  
The man turned her roughly around grabbed her shoulders. Aeris started whimpering.  
  
"Please let me go. . . I'll do anything!" She cried tearfully.  
  
"You don't have to do anything, we promise we'll be gentle with ya," one of the men said with growing lust in his voice.  
  
The guy who had pinned her slowly started removing straps of her dress. Aeris was completely sickened. She kicked where she hoped was his crotch.  
  
She was right, she realized, as he fell back with a loud cry. When he looked up he had a menacing look in his eyes. She was almost blinded with fear when the two men grabbed her arms, securing her so she couldn't move.  
  
The first man now grabbed her dress and pulled it down roughly. He pulled so hard that it was torn, revealing her brassiere. Aeris felt like the world was coming to an end. An unspeakable fear enveloped her as three men cornered her into a wall.  
  
Another man grabbed her waist from behind her and pulled her against him. She struggled to break free, and saw that another man had reached for her dress, pulling it down. Luckily the dress fit her tightly so it took some effort to do so. The frustrated man yanked it violently and the dress ripped halfway off.  
  
Aeris, her upper body now bare except her brassiere, was desperate. She again kicked the guy who was holding her and elbowed the other's head who had been bent down to struggle with the dress.  
  
The leader of the pack was now furious. He had a huge stick in his hand and he approached Aeris dangerously. Aeris gave up and slumped to the ground. They were going to rape her. They - those unspeakable men - would take her virginity. They were going to taint her soul forever. Tears rolled down. She had put up a fight against this kind of hopelessness for so long - now she was losing everything.  
  
A gunshot rang.  
  
Aeris opened her eyes to see the three men all visibly shocked. Another shot was fired and she saw that the man let go of the stick, his hand now bleeding.  
  
The other man slowly let go of her, bewildered and confused. Then fear finally struck them as a figure in the darkness appeared.  
  
They kicked Aeris from behind and Aeris fell, unconscious. She had been strained so much both emotionally and physically that she couldn't bare it anymore.  
  
The three men knew fear once another gunshot was fired and struck one of their shoulders. They began to run.  
  
A figure appeared in the darkness. He was holding a shotgun. He watched the three worthless beings run away. He bent down and saw that the girl was unconscious. He noticed that her upper body was bare. His face flushed slightly and he took off the jacket he was wearing to cover her.  
  
Noticing how frail the girl was, he didn't fling her over his shoulder. Instead he picked her up gently. He brushed her hair from her face to search for any injuries. After glancing at the scene, the man disappeared.  
  
  
  
Author's note: There! I'm done! I'm gonna be gone for a whole week for the vacation. I'm so relieved that this semester is over. Well I hope the new four chapters are going to keep you entertained for the week. (excuse the author for flattering herself ^_^) Please read on! I hope this chapter wasn't too crappy. I'm not used to writing any kind of scenes I guess. ^^ ; 


	10. Chapter 10

Cloud Strife arrived at his front door, with the unconscious girl still in his arms. He unlocked the door and looked for a place to lay her down. He decided that his bed was probably the best choice. There was hardly a decent couch in the place.  
  
As he gently put the girl down, he thought of what to do. He had no experience with anything related to taking care of people. When he found her - and rescued her with Vincent's shotgun that he had taken to a shop to get it fixed - she was about to get raped. He brought a chair next to the bed and observed her. Her cheeks were stained with tears.  
  
He realized he couldn't do much of anything until she was fully dressed. She was half-bare, and he didn't dare to take off his jacket off her. There was a strange aura about her that told him that she was chaste, untainted, and he felt uneasy about invading any part of her privacy . . . without her permission.  
  
After thinking for a while, he called a number. After a few rings, someone picked up.  
  
"Hey, Tifa?"  
  
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Tifa had been watching an old movie, sitting on her couch with a bowl of popcorn on her lap. It was a romantic movie, one of those ones where two lovers are separated but are reunited at the end. Even though she didn't seem the type, she loved the heartwarming movies. It was an assurance to her - even though she had experienced that the real world was cruel - that everything will turn out okay.  
  
Cloud. . .  
  
It was just like a movie between them two, she thought. Childhood friends. Haven't seen each other in the longest time. Met again, scarcely ever talk about anything other than business. But. . .  
  
She threw a fistful of popcorn at the TV as the man appeared to be completely enticed as he saw a certain rival to the heroine for the first time. She knew the plot. He would fall in love with her quickly and desperately, but would eventually succumb to the power of TRUE love and return to the heroine. And they will live happily ever after. So Tifa wasn't mad. She had watched this movie for like the tenth time now. It was peaceful in the empty bar, and nighttime was one of the only times she ever got any quiet. The only time she ever got to confront her deep emotional side and feelings. Cloud. . .  
  
Just then the phone rang. Tifa groaned and got up from the couch, turned down the volume, and answered the phone groggily.  
  
"Hey, Tifa?"  
  
"Cloud!!" 'What a perfect time to call, Cloud! I was just thinking about you!' If only she could say it out loud.  
  
"Yeah. Um, you busy?"  
  
"Nope, why?"  
  
"Well I kinda need your help. . . It's kind of an emergency." He hesitated for a moment. "Do you think you could come down to my apartment? Or is it too much trouble?"  
  
"Oh no, I'll be there."  
  
Of course she will be there. Tifa's face slowly lightened up as a smile appeared. YES! She wondered why he would want her in his apartment. Maybe he wanted to talk all the tension between them out? No, she shouldn't get ahead of herself and get her hopes up. The higher her hopes were, the harder it was to bear the fall.  
  
She quickly found a coat and headed out the door.  
  
  
  
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Cloud slowly ran his fingers on her cheeks, trying to guess what could have upset her this much. A frightening thought entered his head. What if she never wakes up?! He looked at the clock. Tifa, where are you?!!  
  
A knock on the door and he yelled for Tifa to come in. She promptly did and went into the room where the voice came been. She was surprised to see a girl on Cloud's bed, with Cloud gently caressing her cheeks.  
  
"Cloud??"  
  
"Hey Tifa." Cloud looked up. He looked worried. He got up and walked toward Tifa.  
  
"What HAPPENED??" Tifa was completely dumbfounded.  
  
"Er. . . I don't know really. You know how Vincent asked me to take his gun to the shop to get it fixed, right? I was just coming down the allies and I saw this girl surrounded by three men." Cloud paused, then began again. "I thought she was gonna get raped and she probably was. They tore up her dress." He pointed to the jacket he covered her with. "And I shot them on impulse and they all went away and I carried her here."  
  
He stopped and looked apologetically at Tifa. "You think you could help me take care of her just for tonight? I'm completely new at this kind of stuff, you know. And you're used to this so. . ." Cloud again stopped. "Do you think you can? Cuz if you don't, I understand."  
  
"No, I can. Cloud, I will. Let me see," Tifa hastily said, as she approached the girl. Her mind was a jumble. She actually was feeling kind of . . . threatened at this new appearance. Cloud seemed to care about her a lot, even though they just met. She quickly erased the thoughts and looked at the figure on the bed.  
  
She lifted the jacket and an awkward Cloud got out of the room, claiming to make some coffee. She obviously had been abused, as she saw some bruises on her arms and waist. She turned her over and saw a huge boot mark on her back. It was apparent that she WAS going to get raped, for the upper half of her dress was violently torn. She noticed that the girl looked exhausted, and that she had been crying her heart out.  
  
Now for the clothes. . . She searched Cloud's drawer and got out a thick shirt. She lifted the unconscious girl up and put it on. She lifted the covers again and tucked her in. She found a thermometer and checked her temperature. A little above normal. Not too bad.  
  
Right then, Cloud stepped into the door, carrying two cups of coffee. He offered one to Tifa and brought another chair for her to sit down on.  
  
"How is she?"  
  
"She's ok. I think she should be fine. And I think you were right, she was in danger. She has bruises on her body. And she was crying."  
  
"Yeah." Cloud let out a sigh. "You have no idea how surprised I was when this girl just plopped down on the floor. I half-thought she was dead."  
  
"Oh. . ."  
  
The conversation slowly shifted from the unconscious girl to other things. They had been talking and, in Tifa's case, snoozing, when they heard a soft moan.  
  
Tifa's eyes snapped open and Cloud gave his complete attention on the now- moving girl on the bed.  
  
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Aeris had been dreaming. Rufus had found her. He had explained that it was all a mistake. And of course, everything was perfect again. Like it was supposed to be. Everything was a big mistake, nothing like yesterday ever happened, it was all in her imagination. . .  
  
Suddenly her head throbbed with immense pain and she knew that she was slowly waking up from her unconscious state.  
  
She moaned slightly and twitched as a sharp pain went up her spine. However, now she was awake. Where was she? Please. . . let Rufus be next to her, holding her hand.  
  
A tuft of blond hair and piercing blue eyes. Her eyes pooled with tears. RUFUS!!  
  
Aeris suddenly sat up on the bed and almost threw herself to Rufus. She buried her face into his chest as tears began to make their way down.  
  
  
  
Cloud just sat, utterly shocked, then awkwardly tried to return the embrace, petting her back.  
  
Tifa just sat too, unable to believe what just happened.  
  
They both saw now that the girl was delirious, her face suddenly becoming flushed with fever, as she began to mumble about something in desperate sobs.  
  
She suddenly stopped and lifted her face up.  
  
"Rufus. . ." Aeris said, her voice choked with relief. Then she saw that. . . it wasn't Rufus at all. Another man. Completely different.  
  
What's happening????  
  
"Rufus?" Aeris suddenly let go, falling. The man caught her.  
  
"Where is he?" Aeris looked around. "You're not Rufus."  
  
He wasn't Rufus. Rufus wasn't here, next to her side, ready to explain what was going on.  
  
So he didn't care after all?  
  
Aeris felt herself slip from reality as her head became faint.  
  
Cloud and Tifa both gasped in unison as the girl fell unconscious once more.  
  
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Rufus was sitting in his desk, looking at the clock on the wall and drumming his fingers against a glass he was holding. His blue eyes had an intense glow even though he hadn't slept ever since yesterday.  
  
He recalled her eyes pooling with tears, her shaky voice confronting him. She looked so fragile, like a porcelain doll, someone whose trust was carefully bound with such strong faith. Such a feeble string, he realized, she had. He had shattered it.  
  
He poured whatever it was that was on his desk and gulped it down. He just knew it was alcohol, and he needed it. His mind was becoming seriously strained.  
  
'Aeris. . .'  
  
She was so delicate, so frail, in his eyes. He had wanted to give her all the protection and comfort she needed - but instead, he pushed her into the unforgiving world.  
  
A thought made him start. What if she was attacked by some goddamned bastards? She had said that it was the reason she joined Shinra.  
  
What could possibly take the TURKS so long!! It has been almost a day already; the sun was slowly setting. Should he order a group of SOLDIER to go after them?  
  
He was half arisen from his seat when his intercom beeped.  
  
"Sir, the TURKS are here to see you."  
  
"Send them in." Rufus closed his eyes. Finally.  
  
  
  
Tseng stepped in and the three others followed him. Rufus noticed that Tseng's eyes were red, as were the other four.  
  
"Where is she?" Rufus immediately asked, feeling uneasy.  
  
Tseng and Rude looked morose, and Reno and Elena just shuffled awkwardly. Finally, Tseng spoke.  
  
"Sir, we couldn't find her anywhere. However we did find a piece of her dress. . ." He motioned to Elena and she held it up.  
  
It was an upper part of the dress she wore. Yes, it was right. It was roughly torn. It had covered her from her shoulders down to her waist.  
  
It took a moment for Rufus to register what that meant.  
  
Everyone was shocked, being overly strained already, when suddenly Rufus' glass shattered in his left hand.  
  
  
  
  
  
Author's Note: Yeah, I decided to go with Cloud. I chose the character by counting the pplz who wanted a specific character. Only that. I hope there's no hard feelings ^^ and that the pplz who wanted a different character would still read my fic and gimme reviews and suggestions!  
  
And I do realize the excuse for Cloud using a gun is very lame. Yeah, but I couldn't come up with anything else!! ^_^ Cloud, or any other character who doesn't use a gun, might use a gun at some point because a gun's very convenient in hiding the person's identity.  
  
Also, Tifa fans. It will get better. . . in time. 


	11. Chapter 11

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - One month later - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~  
  
Rufus couldn't bring himself to concentrate on anything for the past few weeks. He grew to ignore the piles of paper on his desk. Before, he slaved himself away, consuming the endless paperwork like a lawnmower. However, he now stopped caring, even though his desk now scarcely had room his computer.  
  
He had dispatched a group of SOLDIERS who he commanded to find her. He also sent Turks whenever they had free time. He also went out himself, wandering around the sector where her home was.  
  
However, the slums was a labyrinth, the more you try to search the more complex and jumbled it appeared to be.  
  
The image of her burned inside of him like a candle that lit his soul. He searched for her with a passion, with a firm belief that she was somewhere, and would return to him.  
  
A part of him wondered if she was hiding from him on purpose, but he quickly dismissed that thought.  
  
Rufus closed his eyes as a certain image flooded his head. Aeris, on her knees and half nude, crying and begging in front of a group of rough- looking men. Hell no. That couldn't happen. He tried not to torture himself with the image. How could such a thing happen to a person who resembled an angel?  
  
Now that he felt responsible for her, his feelings for her grew daily. He only had a picture of Aeris. But his feelings were now chaste, imagining and remembering her as a perfect angel. He was filled with longing for her, an urge to see her and touch her. As the search went on the anticipation grew, the fervent passion and craving only becoming stronger. A part of him screamed at him, reminding him that he knew her for less than a month, and that there was no reason for him to be so captivated about her. But, for the first time, he didn't care how irrational it seemed.  
  
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Rufus was sitting in a meeting, listening to his father discuss something with his employees. Anyone could tell that he hadn't slept for a long time, since his eyes were bloodshot and his usual sharp eyes lost their intense glow.  
  
Aeris. . .  
  
He was trying to recall the feel of her hands on his when the president's voice cut through his head.  
  
"So everybody agrees to increase the levy by fifteen percent?"  
  
Reeve spoke out uneasily. "Sir, the condition of the people in the slums had declined severely these two years, ever since we raised the it the last time. Almost ten percent of the people below the plates are now homeless. Perhaps. . ."  
  
Yes, the slums was dangerous. Those people just couldn't get their lives back together. Shinra wasn't helping.  
  
Reeve was cut off by a shrill voice. "But we NEED the funding for the Sister Ray Project. Those idiots will find a way to survive, they have been so far." It was Scarlet.  
  
Rufus let out a quiet growl, feeling the furious hatred toward the blond few seats behind him. If it wasn't for that slut. . . When he became the president, she would be the first one to get fired.  
  
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All the while, President Shinra was eyeing his son suspiciously. He was aware of the rumor that circulated through the company that the vice president had fallen for a slum girl. He supposedly was searching for her day and night the past month. It seemed dangerously close to the truth as the youth closed his eyes, sighing, off to his own world.  
  
The President remembered the girl in the green dress. He could tell that she was one of those naïve, innocent girls who knew nothing. That must have been what attracted him, the radiating purity. It had been evident that the feelings had been mutual, sincere. It was probably the first time that boy had felt anything so real, he mused. Ever since his mother's "accidental" death, he had grown up isolated. The search for the girl was fruitless, he could tell. The youth was clinging to the only person who he ever felt tender toward to.  
  
Rather, he was clinging to the concept itself, that there was someone who. . .  
  
It was unacceptable.  
  
Rufus reminded the president of his wife. The golden-haired woman with blue eyes. She had been one of those rare women who were beautiful inside and out. It had sickened him to see her become attached to her son, that the bitch couldn't realize that she was a just tool for Shinra to become an empire. It irritated him to see that the woman so firmly believed that "love" existed.  
  
What is love? Love was a fool's language, the same word used when one says "I love this car!" Or, a vague word, extremely overused, to get people in bed. Love was not everlasting, it faded overnight. Instantly, when you saw someone more attractive, with more money. Especially in Midgar, love didn't exist.  
  
He often thought that Rufus had the physical features of his mother, but he never suspected that he had her heart too. One of the reasons that he had killed her, to prevent the heir of Shinra from becoming just another helpless lunatic, lured in the promise of "love".  
  
Rufus didn't realize, just like his mother, that his life was to be dedicated to Shinra, and Shinra only.  
  
That's probably one of the reason that his "son" despised his own father.  
  
To get rid of the obsession burning in his head - to get him back on track - there was only one way.  
  
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President Shinra didn't bother to search for the girl. If Rufus, with all his effort, couldn't, then what's the point of spending all that time? She was probably dead anyway.  
  
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Rufus opened up a newspaper about three days. The newspaper was distributed to the people above the plate. There was a rebel act, some group called "Avalanche". He had heard of the name a few times. He kept on reading. They had blown up a Shinra tax office. Figures, after the raised levy. There was seven casualties, four being Shinra officials. He read their names. No one he knew. Other three were civilians. His heart stopped when he glanced at the list.  
  
"Aeris Gainsborough".  
  
He choked, his mind a blank.  
  
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It took about 5400 gils to "create" Aeris Gainsborough's death. Her teeth configuration match, her DNA match, and her fingerprint. Just those simple things. Money was all it took to "prove" that Aeris Gainsborough didn't exist anymore.  
  
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Aeris and Cloud were sitting in front of the fire, with mugs of hot chocolate in their hands. Cloud was staring at Aeris intently as she slowly dozed off, while Tifa, on the other side of the room, looked at the scene with troubled eyes.  
  
  
  
Author's note:  
  
I skipped the part where Aeris and Cloud and Tifa meet even though I had written like two pages for it. It seemed rather lame to me to write "hi I'm cloud, hello I'm Aeris" stuff. Well, I think I'll do this more often - the skipping things - cuz it is like the only way that will get the story moving. Ahh. I really do dwell on a simple topic for pages and pages, don't I?  
  
Ehehe. . . here's author's attempt at an angst fic. I tried to make this chapter. .. err. . . deep. ^ ^ ; If you read it you'll start to see the development of Prez Shinra's personality as well as Rufus' seemingly unreasonable feelings for Aeris. Also, a bit of ClEris is shown here. Sorry if this chapter sucked, but this is just the intro of what's gonna happen.  
  
Anyone, does anyone know how to like describe the inner corruption of Shinra stuff? I'm having so much trouble trying to think of a way. Any suggestions? Please, please, R+R!! 


	12. Chapter 12

Rufus opened his eyes to see a figure walking into his room. Alarmed, he sat up. It took him a minute to realize who the figure was.  
  
While he stared at her with confused eyes, Aeris moved closer, smiling. She climbed on top of the bed and sat on his lap. She started running her fingers through his hair. Rufus closed his eyes. He felt Aeris' delicate hands caressing his face, and wanted so much to touch her, but he found that he couldn't move.  
  
Aeris slowly pushed Rufus down onto the bed and cupped his face with her hands. Rufus opened his eyes to see the emerald eyes staring at him. She was so beautiful, unbelievably angelic. Rufus felt her breath on his cheeks as she slowly descended upon his lips, the look on her face the exact same one that she wore in the tent.  
  
Rufus found himself getting lost in the emerald eyes as the kiss, so sweet that it was almost teasing, was placed on his lips. He wanted to kiss her back, but to his dismay he still couldn't move a muscle.  
  
After the short moment of happiness, Aeris sat up, and got off the bed. She looked teary-eyed, just like she was at the ball. Rufus felt his heart drop, and tried to stand up, to no avail. He watched Aeris get out of the door, running, crying. Just like she did in the ball . . .  
  
"NO!!!"  
  
Rufus sat up in the darkness, all alone. He turned on the light and the first thing he saw was the confirmation of Aeris Gainsborough's death, done by the very sorrowful Turks.  
  
For the first time since his mother died, Rufus felt his heart being choked. Gods, Aeris, why you?? He tried to push it down, but before he could, a few drops of tears rolled down his cheek.  
  
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Tifa was sitting in front of the dining table, waiting for Aeris to finish her cooking. Now that they shared an apartment, they had "evenly" distributed all works done around the household. During the month they had become very close, both drawn by the sunny personalities of the other. Today was Aeris' turn to cook breakfast, although it usually turned out to have Tifa cook another set for herself.  
  
After a few minutes though, Aeris came out with two dishes. Both contained scrambled eggs and a toast. Aeris looked disheveled, her apron caked with pancake mix.  
  
Tifa laughed. Is this what she came up with after spending over thirty minutes in the kitchen? Her friend could do everything else but couldn't cook if her life depended on it.  
  
Tifa cared genuinely about Aeris. She knew that Aeris did too, thankful for her hospitality. Ever since Cloud rescued her in the streets of slums, Aeris had become like family to all the members of Avalanche. It seemed to her that Aeris had a charm that drew everyone around her. . . even Cloud.  
  
That was one thing that Tifa kept from her friend. Tifa didn't tell Aeris that it bothered her, or ate her alive, to see Cloud by the door, looking for Aeris instead of herself. She didn't tell Aeris that it made her sleepless for days when Cloud looked yearningly at Aeris caring for her flowers. Aeris didn't seem like she was aware of it herself. Tifa couldn't bring herself to hate her, knowing that Aeris had done nothing wrong.  
  
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Cloud sat out walking to the direction of Tifa's bar. His head was filled with the thoughts of one person - Aeris.  
  
He went to Tifa's house very often these days, just to see the green-eyed girl humming around the house, cleaning the windows or watering her flowers. She had looked so fragile when he had first met her, but she had turned out to be a spirited girl with a buoyant attitude.  
  
It brought a smile to his lips.  
  
When she had hugged him, it had broken a barrier around him. He had been a closed shell, blocking any kind of emotions from entering him or going out of him.  
  
However, the tears that the girl shed for this guy named Rufus was a sheer demonstration of how someone could care about someone else for more than just a friend. When she had thrown herself to him, clinging on to him as if her life depended on it - he had been very sorry that he wasn't "Rufus", whoever he was.  
  
Days later, when she went with Tifa to live at her house, Cloud felt as a part of him - which enabled him to care about someone - had gone along with her. He missed seeing her petite figure around the house, smiling and bright. If he could be adored by someone like her to that degree that she had for Rufus - maybe he will learn to do the same for her. Maybe he could fill the void that was created when he was left alone without a friend during his youth.  
  
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When Cloud arrived, he found that everyone was already downstairs. He hurried down to see Barret fuming about Shinra, in his usual attitude. However, everyone was excited and nervous about their very first "big" mission - the blowup of Sector One Reactor.  
  
Barret and Cid started their usual conversation about the "damn Shinra", while Tifa and Aeris were chatting about something else. Yuffie was sitting by Red XIII and Vincent, chattering away. When Cloud entered, Tifa and Aeris looked up. Everyone else didn't take notice.  
  
Cloud sat down next to Aeris, making as much noise as possible so that the people will look up. They did, and the usual meeting began.  
  
"Are you sure that we should go through with this? I mean, what if we don't get out of there in time?" Yuffie spoke up.  
  
The usual worries began sprouting themselves and the usual reassurances also took place. Yuffie was obviously worried that they will end up dying in the huge mako reactor. So was Tifa and Aeris. However they kept their mouths shut, knowing that this is something that's not gonna change.  
  
After going over the plan, Barret shouted. "Nine days to go, gang!"  
  
Not everyone was so enthusiastic as he was.  
  
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President smirked when he saw Rufus working away, ordering everyone in his command to find information about Avalanche. He didn't expect the little article to fuel up such hatred toward the little rebel group that was getting annoying. Rumors had it that they were up to something huge this time. However, the vice president was smart and rarely failed to do what he attempted.  
  
  
  
After a few days, Rufus Shinra had all the information he needed to eliminate Avalanche from the face of the planet. . . oh, in six days.  
  
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Aeris sat in a chair in her room late at night, thinking about the mission that was coming up so soon. Gods, when that mako reactor blows up - what will happen? The Avalanche had assured her that there will be no civilian casualties or anything like that. They emphasized that mako power was the very symbol of Shinra.  
  
Shinra.  
  
Rufus.  
  
She closed her eyes and a familiar face greeted her. He had looked like. . . Prince Charming. Aeris giggled, then frowned. 'Sure he was a prince. Prince of Shinra Conglomerate.'  
  
She pushed the uneasy feeling in her stomache away.  
  
'He "played" around with you, Aeris!'  
  
'It might be a misunderstanding,' Aeris feebly responded to the voice in her head.  
  
'Forget about it, it's been a month and he still hadn't even attempted to find you yet. It serves him right to destroy what Shinra stands for.'  
  
You were nothing to him.  
  
Aeris sighed and closed her eyes. She got up and changed and went to bed.  
  
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Rufus checked over the reactor to see everything was complete. Fifty guards were placed, ready to lure, or force the damn Avalanche into a certain open space that resembled the heart of the Reactor. Within it was a bomb. The door would close down from all sides and they will be trapped. The reactor will be safe and Avalanche would be gone.  
  
Avalanche, who with their stupid and meaningless actions had killed an angle on earth.  
  
They would pay.  
  
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Author's note: GOD GOD GOD Can I suck more??? The only part I like about the whole chapter is in the beginning, where Rufus dreams of Aeris. It's not supposed to be sexual or implying of sex in any way. It's supposed to be SENSUAL and TENDER. There is a difference, I think. Right? : )  
  
Well, watch the unaware Rufus, trying to kill the very person who he holds dear to his heart. And watch ClEris develop. Mwahaha! Ha. well this chapter is yet another intro. Something WILL happen in the next chapter, I tell you! ^_^ 


	13. Chapter 13

Avalanche members were very nervous as they entered the Reactor. They were silent, with Tifa silently deactivating the security system. The reactor seemed as if no one was there. That's right, no one was supposed to be there and no one was.  
  
Cloud suppressed a nervous sigh and looked over at Aeris, who had a fearful look in her eyes and was trembling as she hastily stepped into the elevator.  
  
The elevator door opened to reveal a platform, just like it was supposed to. Good, everything was going according to the plan. Barret and Cid were securing the exits. Here, Vincent would wait with Tifa, since she was the only one who could deactivate the alarms. Yuffie and Red and Aeris and Cloud kept walking. They climbed on a ladder that was supposed to lead to the control section of the reactor. There, Yuffie and Red stopped. Now, the final destination was left.  
  
Cloud and Aeris slowly slipped into a tunnel that seemed endless. After crawling forever, Cloud saw a dim light coming from the other side and motioned Aeris to follow.  
  
He jumped down and caught Aeris. Then they started walking toward the initial control section. . . when they realized that it was no longer there.  
  
HUH???  
  
It was a bad idea to bring Aeris here along with him, this was the worst part of the whole mission. But for some reason, he had felt that Aeris should be here with him, where he can protect her. Now he knew that his judgment was flawed - Aeris was in bigger danger than anyone else if someone had found out about their plans.  
  
He tried to not to panic, and looked around. Another staircase. He followed it, which led to a steep ladder. It was a very long one. He assisted Aeris down and looked around.  
  
There was the control room.  
  
Maybe Barret had just messed up on the map. Cloud silently thanked his luck and stepped into the control room. Yes, he remembered. This was it.  
  
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Meanwhile, Barret and Cid caught a glimpse of two people in blue uniforms darting across. They looked at each other and concluded that these guards will report or set alarms of some sort, thereby ruining their plans. They started running toward the two worthless Shinra guards. Damn, of all days, today they had to make an inspection.  
  
Tifa and Vincent were surprised when they heard a gunshot, and a male voice crying out in agony. Tifa's heart dropped. Cloud!!!  
  
Tifa started running after the sound, and Vincent tried to catch her up. He knew that it was dangerous, they shouldn't follow it, it might be a trap. However he couldn't let Tifa go out there - it would be too risky.  
  
Yuffie and Red XIII waited nervously. Yuffie was almost in a state of frenzy when she saw Red plopping down, with a strange needle-like device on his shoulder. She panicked.  
  
Screaming, she got ready to fight - when over twenty SOLDIERS appeared before her.  
  
Chuckling nervously, she lowered her weapon, and both were led to a certain room. . .  
  
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The eight members met in the control room. Barret was surprised.  
  
"This ain't the control room, Cloud! It's supposed to be. . ."  
  
He didn't get to finish his sentence when he saw Yuffie and Red XIII appearing with almost twenty trained SOLDIERS by them. The members of Avalanche all let out a curse.  
  
They were surprised when all of the SOLDIERS, after leading them into an open space, all darted out of the spot.  
  
Before anyone could express their surprise, a wall dropped down from all four sides. Yuffie screamed.  
  
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Rufus Shinra was watching from a monitor. As soon as the short ten minutes pass, the rebel group will be eliminated. He started looking over the members of this pathetic gathering when he saw a familiar-looking girl, wrapped around in the arms of a blond. He couldn't see her face.  
  
Cloud felt horrible. Will they die here? God, please, this can't happen. He started apologizing to everyone, while everyone else started slamming and casting every spell they knew on the doors. Aeris was in the middle of the room, and saw the detached look on Cloud's face. She saw tears streaming down his cheeks.  
  
Aeris walked up to him and wiped his tears away with her hands. She looked up in his eyes.  
  
"Cloud. . . this isn't your fault. You were trying to do what's right. You can't blame yourself for this. . . please, please. . ." She didn't get to finish her sentence.  
  
Cloud stifled an urge to cry out loud and grabbed Aeris and pressed her against him, muffling his tears in her hair.  
  
"I'm so sorry Aeris. . . and everyone. . . Damn the Shinra!!"  
  
"Damn the Shinra," Aeris agreed. She was crying too, fear of death finally claiming her.  
  
Rufus closed up on the girl and saw a familiar necklace dangling on her neck. It was the silver necklace, his mother's, the one that he gave to. . .  
  
He bolted up. There was five minute left on the clock.  
  
If he left the door bolted up, the Avalanche was sure to die. The only successful rebel group against Shinra - the company that he will someday inherit - will be gone forever. That will show everyone, that the resistance against Shinra was futile. This was what he had to do. . .  
  
But was that Aeris? Was that her? Could she be? But she's dead!! But that hair, that necklace. . . it has to be her! But how?!?!  
  
He saw the pair parting away from the hug to embrace other people. He saw her face.  
  
It was Aeris, the girl whose heart he had broken. The most beautiful angel on the planet, the one who he. . .  
  
His fingers trembled upon the control device he had. This could open the doors. They could get away. But if he did, to save her, so would Avalanche. And the whole reactor, at least the main part of it, would be blown away to pieces. But Aeris would live, she wouldn't be hurt. But Avalanche, the group that killed her. . .  
  
He paused.  
  
She wasn't dead. She was WITH Avalanche. But her death - it had to be real. . . the records matched and everything. But. . .  
  
Was it all a lie?  
  
He closed up on her face even more, and he saw tears streaming down her beautiful face.  
  
Rufus pressed the button.  
  
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Avalanche was utterly shocked to see that the doors went up where they came from, and that there was no one else around but them.  
  
Without a word, they all started bolting for the exit. They ran mindlessly, thinking that somehow Shinra's plan had gone wrong, thinking somehow that they have escaped.  
  
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Rufus arrived in his office to see a very angry President Shinra waiting for him.  
  
"What the hell were you thinking, you spoiled brat!!" he yelled. "You opened the fucking door, the fucking Avalanche escaped, and you damn blew up practically the entire reactor!!!"  
  
Rufus remained silent. His mind registered nothing. His mind kept repeating the same words . . 'the newspaper, the DNA sample matches. . . how?'  
  
A light dawned upon him. The fat man who was yelling at him. . . the same man who killed his mother right before his eyes. . . the only man who could have done this.  
  
Rufus struggled to speak with perfect calm. "Father, you are aware of the recent Avalanche bombing - of the tax office - are you not?"  
  
President Shinra was surprised. What did this fool mean by this?  
  
Although he kept his face motionless, the sudden silence and the look in his eyes told Rufus all.  
  
"How could you do this, father!! You. . . what the hell happened? Did you actually kill her, or what?? I saw her today, she wasn't dead!! What the hell did you do?? Did you just fake the whole thing? But how. . . the DNA result matched!!" Rufus was in a complete frenzy.  
  
President Shinra's anger flared. "The bitch was making you into a fool! No, I didn't kill her, you dumbass, it's evident since you saw her yourself. Hmm, so you saw her, is that right? You were so obsessed with the slut that you couldn't even put your signature on a damn piece of paper!"  
  
Rufus stopped shouting. He stared at the man he called his father. When he spoke again, his voice of that of perfect calm.  
  
"Sir, you have shown me what Shinra is all about. Get out of the room, father, this conversation is pointless."  
  
The president was shocked by the tone of his voice, addressing him as if he was some commoner. His anger suddenly rose up again, but he knew that this was not the best time to disturb the young man any further. He angrily stormed out.  
  
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Tifa and Aeris was sitting on a couch, talking.  
  
"You know, when we were in that room. . . I thought about a lot of things." Tifa was closing her eyes, getting comfortable. "I never told you this. . . but I really wanted to tell this person this today. . . I realized that there wasn't all the time in the world. . . that I might die without telling him this, ever."  
  
Aeris giggled. Tifa stared. "What??"  
  
Aeris stopped giggling and, with a twinkle in her eyes, replied "Is it Cloud?"  
  
Tifa was dumbfounded. "WHAT! How did you know?"  
  
Aeris rolled her eyes. "Everyone knows, Tifa! It's so obvious!"  
  
Tifa swallowed. "Does. . . he?"  
  
Aeris thought for a moment. "No. . . I don't think so. But I think it's an excellent idea to let him know, Tiff. Like you said, you don't have forever to tell him. Time's precious."  
  
"But. . . how??"  
  
"Just tell him straight forward. He probably feels the same way, I think. I mean you have known each other forever, and I haven't seen him ever get tired of you. And he comes to your house an awful lot, you have to say."  
  
Tifa stifled an urge to say "It's because of you, Aeris!!" Instead she smiled and said, "You think?"  
  
Aeris smiled back. "SURE! Absolutely. Come on, you should tell him tomorrow. Who knows if he feels the same way as you do?"  
  
Tifa felt better after telling her. She giggled too. "You think?" She said again, hoping and hoping.  
  
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That night, Aeris couldn't sleep. She was thinking about Rufus. How could he do that to her, to kill her? She forced herself not to cry. That bastard, trying to kill her.  
  
She walked out to the garden. She was surprised to see Cloud standing there, leaning over her usual bunch of flowers.  
  
"Cloud?"  
  
He turned around to see Aeris.  
  
He had felt that he was going to lose everyone in the world in the reactor. He had felt so horrible - but Aeris, with her touch, had made everything better. She was a saint, rescuing him out of eternal pool of guilt. His emotions had been confirmed when he embraced her. He thought they were goners for sure but when the doors opened - it was a sign.  
  
Cloud took a step forward. Aeris remembered the conversation between Tifa and herself and tried to mention her.  
  
"Cloud. . . didn't you realize something today? I mean, we all thought we were dead for sure. . . and I thought, if I didn't let someone know of my feelings, then I would never will."  
  
Cloud was shocked. Did she know?  
  
"Ur. . . Aeris, that's exactly why I came here tonight."  
  
"Really?" Aeris beamed. Wow, how easy it was to become a matchmaker!  
  
"Yeah.. . Cloud moved closer, taking her by the waist.  
  
Aeris let out a surprised cry when Cloud's lips was suddenly upon hers. Cloud kissed her desperately, like she was his last chance of survival. He kissed with so much passion and Cloud kept deepening the kiss, tears forming in his eyes. Aeris was too shocked to move.  
  
When she managed to break free, she felt a feeling creeping up. A silent warning, watch out!  
  
The pair turned around to see Tifa, leaning against a tree and wiping her eyes.  
  
  
  
Author's note: Yes, lots of action this chapter, no? Well, if not, I tried my best. This chapter was written in a hurry, and the quality might not be as good. But it should be entertaining, no? Ehehe, enjoy it anyhow, and please leave Reviews!! 


	14. Chapter 14

Aeris' heart seemed to stop and her head began to spin, making her breathless. Cloud still had his arms wrapped around her securely, their bodies pressed against each other. Both their faces were flushed, and they were out of breath. Tifa, the girl who looked at him and yearned for him from afar for all these years – and told her about it – had just seen her be kissed by her beloved. Her mind went blank.  
  
Tifa tried to stand up by herself and hoped it wasn't too clear that she was crying. She rubbed her eyes and yawned, hoping that it will lead him to believe that she had been woken up. Luckily it was dark and he probably couldn't see her tears.  
  
Cloud smiled sheepishly, letting Aeris go. He was kind of embarrassed that his best friend had caught him in a situation like this, and cleared his throat.  
  
There was an awkward silence between the three. Aeris was the first one to break it.  
  
"Tifa… I really have to speak to you."  
  
Tifa chuckled. "There's no need to, Aeris." Her voice bore sheer malice. She wanted to punch the daylights out of that girl, the girl who now looked like a delicate porcelain doll under the moonlight. She opened her mouth to lash out at her, but closed it immediately when she remembered that she had no right to. Cloud doesn't know that Tifa had these feelings for him. Her lips froze in place and her throat closed like the gates of hell.  
  
Bewildered, Cloud touched Tifa's shoulder. Tifa jerked away from him as if he had stricken a blow.  
  
Cloud. The man who she had spent half of her life pining after. Her happy daydreams had carved itself into a crystalline figure, intricately detailed and casting sparkling lights everywhere. It was now shattered, and the broken pieces pierced her heart. The lips which had been kissing, pouring his soul out to, Aeris. Aeris, the girl who was so undeservingly fortunate. She barely controlled her rage, the desire to rip her heart out, as her muscles in her arms tensed.  
  
Aeris turned to Cloud, seeing the look in her face. "Cloud… I need some time with Tifa. We'll see you tomorrow, ok?" He started to say something but Aeris stopped him with one look. Her eyes told him not to object and he left the place, perplexed.  
  
Tifa turned back wordlessly and Aeris followed. Once they both got in Aeris closed the door.  
  
"Tifa, this isn't what you think… please listen." Aeris touched her friend's shoulder. She was surprised when she turned abruptly around and glared at her.  
  
"What??? What else could it be? You were kissing Cloud, right after I told you how I feel!"  
  
Tifa was almost blinded with rage. She knew how to control her emotions when she was around Cloud – but when you are alone with the girl who you despise at the moment it's a different story.  
  
Tifa started laughing. "So, what, I told you and you just decided to kiss him to make me go crazy? It wasn't enough that he came by to see you – at MY house – every damn fucking day??"  
  
Aeris didn't know what to say. The only defense she had was that Cloud was the one who kissed her. But it seemed that it would only make it worse.  
  
The dam inside Tifa, the one she had tried so hard to lock up, broke and all her pent-up emotions flooded through her. Anger. She was so angry with the girl who Cloud had kissed, the girl who was staring at her with frightened eyes… not five feet from her. Tifa saw how fragile she looked, and she hated her venerability. Her reason suddenly was blinded by sheer rage. She went straight up to Aeris without a word, and she raised her and slapped the girl across her cheek.  
  
Aeris was utterly shocked. She fell back a few paces. Suddenly she began to grow furious too. She might be kind, but wasn't the type to stand around while being beat up.  
  
"Would you stop and listen to me??? " Aeris, her cheek still red from the blow, grabbed Tifa's shoulders and shook her. She swallowed and sighed. "Just listen to what I have to say!"  
  
"Tifa, it's not what you think," Aeris said, more collected this time. Tifa was now crying hysterically. "Tifa, it really isn't."  
  
Tifa lost her senses. What does the bitch mean? How could it mean anything else but this?  
  
"It's not what I think?!" You slut! I told you and you go on about kissing him behind my back! Bitch! I told you, then you kiss – KISS – him!!! Have you even slept with him yet, huh??!!"  
  
Aeris stood her ground, although now she too had tears in her eyes.  
  
"Tifa…. No, it wasn't me!!!"  
  
Tifa stopped short. Her eyes held a different kind of tears, one of pure despair and hopelessness, one someone sheds when they have lost all. Tifa choked.  
  
"Don't tell me Cloud kiss you and you weren't responsible. Don't tell me you didn't do anything. DON'T!!!! I know it's all your fault!!" Tifa's voice was hoarse. "Aeris it's your fault, it has to be. Please God, don't tell me Cloud chose you over me, and that you had to be just a perfect angel and didn't steal him away from me." Tifa closed her eyes. "God, don't be so cruel! Don't!! She doesn't even want him, she doesn't even deserve him, what the hell!!"  
  
Tifa's knee buckled and she slumped down on the floor. She wasn't shouting anymore. "Pathetic loser, goddamn you Tifa. You slapped her wen you should be beating up the guy you spent the half of your life for. God, I'm so pathetic. Aeris, please tell me it's your fault, that I… that I have a chance with him. Please…"  
  
Tears were streaming down Aeris' cheeks, and she sat in front of Tifa and looked her in the face. God, she had caused this girl – so strong and confident – to become the most miserable person on Earth. She had… cut off her one string of hope. God… how could I be forgiven for this?  
  
Aeris suddenly hugged her friend, and when Tifa didn't protest, she knew that Tifa wasn't angry with her. She was angry with herself; she was cursing herself, for being so damn weak, being so incapable. Aeris wanted to reassure her that it wasn't true. Aeris' heart seemed like breaking at the sight of this girl's misery.  
  
Aeris backed up from the hug and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath. "Tifa, don't cry. It wasn't his fault that we ended up kissing. I kissed him – I got caught up in the moment. I don't think he meant anything by it."  
  
Tifa now stood up and looked at Aeris with disgust. However Aeris saw through the façade and saw that she was relieved, and that her hopes had started making their way back to her. "Slut!! Get out of my sight!" WHAT?!?! Aeris choked. "Tifa…"  
  
"No!! Get out!! Please!!" Tifa's voice cracked again. Frightened of upsetting her even further, Aeris took a big breath and turned away. She headed out the door.  
  
Tifa stood watching, cursing herself for being so stupid. She was being so forgiving... and she knew, in her innermost hearts, that it was to Cloud.  
  
  
  
Author's note: This chapter is for describing the characters' thoughts. Tifa's conflicting emotions and Aeris' sacrificing nature along with sympathy is portrayed (I hope). Tifa's mean in this chapter… ^ ^ Do you think she's overreacting? Well, I thought I would probably act like her if I was placed in that kind of situation… would you? (Geez I'm being sooo cheezy… ^^ just leave a review!) 


	15. Chapter 15

Aeris was walking for less than a minute when she ran into Cloud, who had been lurking around the area. She hurriedly wiped her face with her sleeve. Cloud stopped her. "Aeris, where're you going?"  
  
Aeris wondered about what to say. She couldn't say "Tifa kicked me out cuz you kissed me, stupid!" Instead she answered with the first thing that came to her mind. "Marlene and I have a sleepover."  
  
Cloud looked at her like she was crazy. Aeris saw that the excuse was a very lame one – it now must be like two in the morning. However, she could not go to Cloud's house. That would just make things worse.  
  
She stuck to her words. "Yes, it's true. And Tifa's mad at me because I forgot about it until it was almost too late. I'm gonna go anyway, and I'm going to apologize to Marlene."  
  
Cloud almost smirked, but kept a straight face. "Go back to the house, Aeris, and why don't you talk to he tomorrow? It's way too dark and it's to dangerous to wander around now."  
  
Aeris found herself half-smirking, but stopped herself. "Yes… but Marlene just called me to come over."  
  
Cloud looked dumbfounded. Was she serious? "What?"  
  
"Yes, Cloud," Aeris said, pleased with her lie and smiling despite her best efforts. "Will you please let me pass?"  
  
"I'll just walk you to Barret's then," Cloud said, still looking unconvinced.  
  
Aeris swallowed, just hoping that Marlene will go along with it, and that Barret won't explode on her face when she wakes him up.  
  
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Rufus couldn't sleep.  
  
He tossed and turned, trying to keep his thoughts straight, but it seemed like a futile effort as her name rolled down his tongue.  
  
It was her at the reactor. She is alive. But she is with the Avalanche, the group that opposes Shinra to the furthest extremes – so much that they had the guts to blow up their power source.  
  
Why had she joined such a group?  
  
Was it a revenge toward him? To turn against Shinra and himself, the heir of the empire? It if was, it was working. The notion clawed at his heart, tearing it apart.  
  
Even if he found her now… would she just be one of the spiteful Avalanche members? Will she never return to him?  
  
It was most likely to be so, and hard feelings must be building up since he had nearly killed them in the reactor.  
  
He reminisced back to the reactor, trying to put together her last images.  
  
Beautiful… just liked he remembered. Her emerald eyes shining while tears stained her peach-colored skin. But her face was buried inside another man's chest, his hands were stroking her golden-brown hair. Her narrow waist was wrapped in the arms of his. Just as she was in the clutches of Avalanche when he himself was a Shinra.  
  
She had less than ten minutes to live, and she spent most of it embracing the blond man, crying into HIS shirt. The thought clogged his chest.  
  
All of these "facts" were finally stabbing at his determination to find her. A fear of rejection seeped through his heart. He had taken it as guaranteed that Aeris and himself would be happily reunited, once he found her.  
  
It seemed so unlikely now. He felt as if he was chasing an illusion of Aeris, not herself. If only she could know…  
  
He sighed.  
  
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Barret had been very cranky when Cloud and Aeris knocked and rang the doorbell. However, Marlene had been thrilled to see her. Without saying another word in fear of spoiling the whole masquerade, Aeris closed the door without saying anything to the bewilderment of Cloud and irritation of Barret.  
  
Aeris tried to smile, although the incident just minutes before surfaced on her mind. Barret looked confused.  
  
"What the hell is going on?? Why aren't you at Tifa's?"  
  
At that, Aeris' voice cracked and a teardrop rolled down her cheek. Marlene, surprised, grabbed the woman's hand and pulled her down to her eye level.  
  
"Aeris, what's wrong? Are you ok?" Barret now looked extremely distressed, not knowing what to do.  
  
Aeris couldn't answer Barret's question without revealing the secret Tifa had shared with her. And she was sure that Tifa didn't want it broadcasted that she had slapped her.  
  
So she just kissed Marlene's forehead. "Barret… do you think I can stay here until tomorrow at least? I can't go back to Tifa." "And don't call her," Aeris added.  
  
Barret was willing to do anything to make this girl stop crying. It was making him very uncomfortable. "Sure, yeah, do whatever you want."  
  
Aeris smiled and took Marlene's hand. Marlene looked back at her father. Aeris laughed softly and followed her into her room.  
  
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Tifa sat on her couch in utter darkness. Silence enveloped the whole house. Tifa closed her eyes.  
  
What she had done was a huge mistake on her part.  
  
So what if she kissed Cloud? Well, sure, it makes her very mad. However it was no reason to kick her out of her house. Where would she go?  
  
Tifa couldn't suppress a self-satisfied snicker that shook her whole body. She realized that she might be in shock.  
  
She closed her eyes, thinking it would be better if she slept through this turmoil of her mind. She would be able to mend and analyze things in the morning, won't she?  
  
She knew that she was lying to herself and opened her eyes again, preparing for a long sleepless night.  
  
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The usual members of the board were sitting in the meeting desk with President Shinra. However one person was missing. Rufus.  
  
The President's eyes had a strange chill in them. He was discussing the recent "bombing" of the Avalanche in the reactors. He hadn't told them that Rufus was supposed to destroy them. Therefore, all the other executives had the impression that the Avalanche was successful.  
  
President Shinra knew that Rufus would not cooperate with the elimination of Avalanche. Sure, he could get another person working on it. However, now that he knew that the Avalanche was aiming at destroying reactors, he could not afford them to give them another trial.  
  
One small rebel could lead to a universal revolution, he knew, especially with the conditions of the miserable slums these days. The first rebel against Shinra. They had to be the last ones in order to prevent any other rebels. Also, the reactors were the blood of Shinra. No method to protect them was too costly.  
  
"In order to exterminate Avalanche…" he spoke with a bitter tongue, as if he was talking about cockroaches. "We must take drastic measures. I'm sure everyone is aware how one rebel action can lead to a massive defiance against Shinra."  
  
"The whereabouts of Avalanche is unclear, and will take too much time to go through the whole Sector 7. They already destroyed one of our reactors. With no specific timeline as to how to catch them, the damage could be astronomical."  
  
He looked at the model of Midgar on his desk, a perfect crystalline sculpture. It was a very accurate piece, except that it actually scintillated with an aura that made it seem beautiful, which Midgar was not.  
  
He slowly unscrewed the top of the Sector 7. Inside there was a support that held the ceiling in place.  
  
"No measure is too costly to insure Shinra's future," he repeated his own thought. He took the little support beam out. "That is why… I believe this is necessary." He dropped the plate.  
  
Sector 7 shattered.  
  
  
  
Author's Note: Ahh… I just realized that dialogue is not my strength. I tried to make them lifelike, so if they seem a little forced, bare with me, k? ^^  
  
And sorry if nothing happened in this chapter. However you'll notice Rufus' doubts on finding Aeris. (I like that part ^^) Will he just give up on the search? Mwahaha, I'm evil. ^_  
  
Well, I promise that the next time I update, something BIG will happen. Keep checking! R+R!!! 


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